Confession Time : I’m obsessed with Rachael Ray
15 July 2009
I love cooking and used to watch the Food Network all the time. This was pre-McKenna, pre-house, and pre-writing deadlines, so I liked to watch the chefs who made more difficult things.
Then I acquired a house, a baby, and a writing career within a couple months of each other. For a while, I insisted on continuing to cook the way I used to. This made for a lot of grumpy evenings around our house. Good food, but lousy attitudes.
And then I discovered Rachael Ray.
I had never watched Rachael’s show. I hadn’t wanted meals that took only thirty minutes, I wanted the ones that took an hour and thirty. But one day she came on after Paula Deen, and what she was making looked pretty good. And thirty minutes from start to finish sounded pretty good too, so I gave it a try. I don’t even remember what it was now, but it was good. And it turns out, I really didn’t miss all that extra time in the kitchen.
All those things that used to irk me about Rachael quickly vanished. I watched faithfully every day, checked a couple of her cookbooks out from the library, and received a few for my birthday. My family laughs at me (“Stephanie, why are you using tongs for that?” “Because Rachael does.”) but I don’t care at all. She cured me of all my hours in the kitchen, and she’s created a dependable product. I know I’ll like what I make. I know I can make it in 30 minutes. (Okay, the first time it’s often 30 ish , but that’s because I re-read the recipe a thousand times.)
And I really hope I can be the kind of author that Rachael is chef. I know that’s kind of a weird segue, sorry if it only makes sense in my brain! I hope to be the kind of author readers can depend on. Sarah Dessen is that kind of author for me. I know I’ll love whatever she writes, from her blog to her latest release. I feel that way about Jodi Picoult too. Guaranteed good reads. That’s a tough thing to accomplish, especially in today’s publishing world where your deadlines get squeezed together. Anybody have any authors like that who I should try out? I’m always looking for more!
In closing, a quick moment of blatant self-promotion. If you live in the Kansas City area, and have read or plan on reading Me, Just Different in the next couple weeks, Southwoods Christian Church in Overland Park is hosting a book discussion. I’ll be there to chat and sign books, there’ll be food, and it sounds like it’ll be an all-around good time. Details here.
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